BA Architecture / Overview

Year of entry: 2025

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Degree awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Duration: 3 years
Typical A-level offer: AAA
Typical contextual A-level offer: AAB

Find out more about contextual admissions.
Refugee/care-experienced offer: Applicants who have been in local authority care for more than three months or have refugee status may be eligible for an offer two grades below the standard requirements.

Find out more about contextual admissions.
Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 36 points overall. 6,6,6 in Higher Level subjects.

We are aware of the planned changes to the IB Mathematics curriculum. IB students will be able to choose from Mathematics: analysis and approaches and Mathematics: applications and interpretation from September 2019.

Applicants studying the International Baccalaureate Career Related Programme (IBCP) should contact the academic School prior to applying so that their academic profile can be considered.; Full entry requirements
How to apply: Apply through UCAS .

Course overview

Benefit from facilities across two campuses, The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, as you study at the innovative collaboration between the two - Manchester School of Architecture (MSA).
We're ranked 5th in the world and 2nd in the UK for Architecture (QS 2023 World University Rankings by Subject).
The course offers exemption from Part 1 of the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) professional qualifications.
Join the Manchester Student Society of Architecture (MSSA) - the UK's largest Architecture student society.

BA Architecture at The University of Manchester

Open days

We are pleased to announce that we are returning to hosting on-campus open days in the summer and autumn.

Please see open days for the dates, registration, and other information.

If you're a prospective student, you can also find out more about student life by chatting with our student ambassadors at a time that suits you, and ask any questions you may have about life at Manchester.

Please check our Coronavirus FAQs for the most up to date information regarding events.

You can also look at our virtual open day content to help you learn more about the University.

Fees

Fees for entry in 2025 have not yet been set. For entry in 2024 the tuition fees were £9,250 p/a collected by MMU for home students, and are expected to increase slightly for 2025 entry.

Additional expenses

Specialist costs

Compulsory estimate: £2,400
Optional estimate: £1,400

Included in this section are course materials, software, digital SLR camera, laptop, model making expenses, printing 3D printing.

None of these modes of production are compulsory, and the manner in which items are acquired can result in significant savings, e.g. the re-use and recycling of available materials in the production of models.

There is some requirement to print, but most submissions are digital. All materials, printing (2D, 3D), laser cutting etc. are charged at cost within the institution.

The one off acquisition of a camera and laptop for the duration of the course is spread evenly across the three years.

It is possible to work on university machines and to hire cameras, thus alleviating the costs incurred on some of these items.

Placement costs

Compulsory estimate: £600
Optional estimate: £1,500

Each BA year has a 5 day optional study trip abroad. An equivalent trip to a city in the UK is designed for those unable to travel for any reason.

One might expect the UK trip to attract between £100-200 of expenditure on travel, food and accommodation.

The anticipated annual cost of a foreign study trip is in the area of £400-500 inclusive of travel, accommodation and subsistence.

The figures shown here highlight the upper end of expenditure on each of these options and should viewed as separate sums and not conflated to a greater total.

Other costs

Compulsory estimate: £600

Students may wish to acquire good outdoor clothing, boots and other forms of protective equipment.

Measuring devices, such as large tapes etc. could also be a useful part of an architecture students toolkit.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

As part of our ongoing commitment to widening participation, the Manchester School of Architecture (MSA) guarantees a £500 cash bursary to aspiring undergraduate students eligible for a reduced-grade contextual offer who register on BA Architecture.

This bursary is designed as a contribution to aid students with some of the costs of getting started at university, such as textbooks and travel expenses.

Contact details

School/Faculty: School of Environment, Education and Development
Contact name: Recruitment & Admissions Office
Telephone: +44 (0)161 529 4700
Email: ugadmissions.seed@manchester.ac.uk
Website: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/architecture
School/Faculty overview: See: The School .

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Architecture

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.